Kel Taylor - June 14, 2000
I. Aqua
It's the most elegant graphical user
interface in history, to say the least. The name fits perfectly,
for the system flows not like electrons on silicon wafers, but like
water in an easy going stream. It doesn't try to be
"quasi-futuristic," as many current Mac OS desktop themes do. It
simply acts natural. This natural interface could set a new
standard with software, just as it does with hardware, that could
have a drastic influence on far-future systems. Only time will
tell.
II. Finder
Although the most Windows-like element of
the entire OS, the new Finder is also one of the major improvements
- but it doesn't have to be. It offers the option to do things "the
old way." You can, with a simple click of the mouse, be navigating
as if you were in OS 9 (I guess it would be the same as System 7,
as not much has changed since then). But why would you want to do
it that way? Just because the new Finder is Windows-like isn't a
good reason to not flow with it. Some things have changed since the
early developer previews. Disks now can appear on the desktop, the
dock, and/or in the base level of the Finder - the choice is yours.
The icons, which may be too large for smaller screens (such as
iBooks), can be adjusted. The bottom line is, if you don't like
something, you can probably change it. This also includes the
views. The new "column" view will function very well for many
tasks. Go the Mac OS
X Theater to see the power of the new Finder first hand.
III. Open Source
As I said before, if there is
something you don't like about Mac OS X, you can probably change
it. This is taken to a extreme when you consider that Darwin, the
operating system core for OS X, is open source. This "allows
developers to customize and enhance key Apple software." Although
the common Mac users would be unable to contribute, people
nevertheless have the power to customize OS X. In fact, the open
source Darwin project may bring Darwin to Intel machines. While the
effects of such a move are unknown, it is intriguing to ponder.
IV. The Dock
The much scrutinized and much loved
dock has changed in the latest developer preview, which shows Apple
responds to customer complaints and ideas, something I think is
cause for much applause. The old dock could store just about
everything - applications, documents, finder windows, the trash
can, and disks, all jumbled down there at the bottom of the screen.
Which, I must say, isn't much different than the Apple Menu of
today. Click on that multicolored apple now, and I'm sure you will
find everything ranging from control panels to old documents to
applications to maybe even your iDisk. Some older systems even have
a shutdown switch in the Apple Menu.
The Dock has changed from earlier versions. Minimized or stored
applications will appear on the left side of the dock, and
minimized or stored documents, windows, and the trash can will
appear on the right, separated by a dividing line. For those who
compare the Dock to the Windows taskbar, there is probably more to
contrast. First of all, the Dock simply looks better. Plus, the
taskbar only shows you what is open or minimized - everything that
is open or minimized - and nothing that isn't. The Dock can hold
frequently used documents and folders, functioning much like OS 8
and 9's popup windows, without them being open. Unlike the Windows
taskbar, it doesn't create a button for every single window that is
open, which severely clutters the taskbar if you have many windows
or applications open.
The Dock's magnification feature looks all too cool. You can see
it in the Mac OS X Theater. But most importantly, it's very useful.
Items in the dock are shown in "preview," which means you actually
see a picture of the document or window in the dock, not just an
icon. The magnification lets you easily tell the difference between
items, even though you can have the title pop up if you wish. The
Dock will successfully take place of the cluttered Apple Menu, the
program menu, and popup windows (if you use them), and do a much
more efficient job.
V. Multitasking
This is one of those technical
things that many people don't understand, including me. The Mac OS
has been able to run more than one program using cooperative
multitasking since OS 6, but not the same way Mac OS X will. Mac OS
X will feature preemptive multitasking, which more
efficiently handles multiple tasks. Preemptive multitasking will
let the OS control processor usage, instead of having programs
fight over it like a bunch of four-year-olds.
VI. Protected Memory
Are you tired of crashes?
Although it doesn't happen to me that often, my iBook has crashed on several occasions,
and I have heard that some people don't have that much luck. I
asked a computer-smart friend of mine just what causes a computer
crash. He gave me an analogy. "Imagine you are a program and I am
another program." He then held up a pencil and said to imagine it
is memory. "The computer tell me that I am suppose use this pencil,
but for some reason, it tells you that you are suppose to use it
too. The programs can't run because they are fighting over the
memory." He also added that there are other ways that programs
crash by themselves and take other programs down with them.
Although I'm not sure how accurate his description is, it makes
sense to me. Protected memory under OS X will assign a program
memory and protect that memory from other programs. This will
prevent crashes caused by programs fighting over memory and will
prevent a single crashing program from taking down others. For
those running OS 8 or 9 now, I have a tip for you. If a program
crashes or stalls, press command-option-esc to "force quit" the
program. This trick works most of the time, and it lets you save
your other work before you restart, which is advised if you
force-quit a program. Of course, only Carbon and Cocoa applications
will feature protected memory.
VII. Classic Environment
With a total change in the
core OS, current "un-carbonized" applications will not run in OS X.
How will all of our older programs operate? The answer is a Classic
environment, which can run full screen or within a window. To do
this, it must startup, just like OS 9. Of course, programs you run
inside the Classic environment won't be blessed with protected
memory and Aqua. However, the Classic environment itself will be,
which means if a Classic program crashes, it crashes the Classic
environment, not the rest of the computer. Although Mac OS X won't
honor all the extensions and control panels that might fill your
System Folder now, you can see them popup across the bottom of the
screen when the Classic environment starts up. For those who are
afraid of the big changes, the Classic environment will be a link
to the past.
VIII. Internet Integration
Although Microsoft is in
trouble for a similar action, Apple has built internet applications
into OS X. One such program is an email application. Although not
much has been said about it, Steve Jobs has mentioned it several
times. Apple could integrate this program with current and future
iTools, such as iCards. It would be much easier to send an iCard
from an email application than going through Apple's site, which
makes it difficult to add many recipients simply because you have
to look up all the email addresses one by one. Other iTools are
sure to be integrated. Apple will probably make iDisk easier to use
and hopefully faster. Perhaps the much rumored iPhone will make a
debut. In any case, Apple is trying hard to make sure everyone that
owns a Mac is online and using iTools.
IX. Traditional Elements
I'm a Texas Aggie, and at Texas A&M there are not many things
more important than tradition. The same is true with any select
group, such as Mac users. Many long time users showed a bit of
hostility toward Apple for making OS X so different. I guess they
believe that Think Different means to think different than others,
not think different from the past. Well, Apple has been doing a lot
of different thinking the past few years, and it has yielded
nothing but success. However, I agree that with progress there must
be a tie to the past. Apple announced at the WWDC that it added
more "traditional elements" to Developer Preview 4 and that there
may be more in the beta and final versions. I'm sure that Apple
will never forget its past, but I don't think there were many
looking back when they replaced the Apple II line with the
Macintosh. The same should be true in this case.
X. Public Beta
This is a risky step, but so was
naming a computer company after a fruit. Apple announced a public
beta would replace the final version of Mac OS X previously
scheduled for release this summer. The full version will be
available in stores and preinstalled on all new Macs in January
(hopefully).
A public beta, or test version, will be available for anyone to
"test." While beta versions usually are incomplete and buggy, Mac
OS X beta will probably not be much different than the completed
version. Many have considered it a name change rather than a
schedule change. Word is that many developers were in favor of
calling the summer release a beta, but, as far as I know, it's only
a rumor. I will be installing OS X beta on my iBook the first day I
can get my hands on it. If Apple weren't confident that the beta
would provide excellent performance, I'm sure they wouldn't release
it to the public. This move could help with the transition, a
crucial step for Apple. With the beta, more users are likely to
announce allegiance to the new system, giving confidence to
developers and other users.
Mac OS X is going to be grand, and it's only months away.
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